Centrifugal separator



Oct. 12, 1943.

A. J. PATCH CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATQR iledfoct. 27, 1939 s sheets-sheet 2 Patented Qct. 12, 1943 l naar" U NITE D STAT PATENT i0 F iti-CE 2,331,565 j CENTRIFUGAL ,sEPARAToa Allen J. Patch, Ripon, Wis. applicati@ october 27, 1939, serial Ne. 301,663 f 24 claims. (o1. 21o- 71) n .y

centrifugal apparatusconstructed in accordance My invention relates to improvements in centrifugal separators and particularly toa structure of this character such as used inlaundry equipment and in other connections where clothes or other articles or materials likely to produce unbalanced loads are to be acted` upc-n, this application being a continuation in .part of my application Serial No. 587,337.

An object of this invention is to provide acentrifugal separator or extractor or apparatus of the spinner type of such construction that arsubstantially stable equilibrium will be attained and y maintained underl unbalanced loads.

Another object is to provide a structure'which permits the force of gravity` toV move the basket or container to a point where the center of `gravity coincides with the laxis, of revolution of the driving part, the centrifugal force acting upon the basket orA container and an unbalanced load to bring them into a position Where the axis of gyration will coincide with the shaftaxis and there will then be a balanced spinning of the parts with no overbalancing force acting to strain upon or vto disturb the position of the revolving driving member.

A further object is to provide, with a centrifugal apparatus, means acting substantially gyroscopically to check vibration of the parts during operation.

A still further purpose is to provide a centrifu-y gal separator 'comprising a shaft rotatable on an withI my invention, and with a yloaded position indicated by dottedlines. 1

. Fig. 2 is an enlarged `vertical sectional ,View

through the structure as shown in Figure ll. j

` Fig. 3 is a top planview. Y t Y v Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view substantially online 4-4 ofFig. 2. 4 l.. f

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view` through an apparatus disclosing a modified embodiment,

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 5 disclosing still another modified embodiment of the invention.

As myimproved centrifugal separator or apparatus can be built into orsubstituted forthe usual container cr'basket ofan ordinary centrifugal apparatusand any desired type and form of power operating meansv can be employed, I have not herein shown nor l describedthe' power or driving means. w v

As such apparatus has been'heretofore `constructed and used, it can be assumed,theoreti cally, thatv normally the drive shaft or driving *member will be in an upright position with the A'axis of rotation upright, and that the center of upright axis, a containersupport swing'ably carried by and depending around and universally swingable with respect to the shaft, a container carried by the support, and means actings'ubstantially gyroscopically to resist swinging*` of vthe container support during rotation. Yet another object is to provide a device and mechanism of this character which is of simple and inexpensive construction'to thus insure long life and efficient operation; and, which doesnot require manual or -mechanical adjustments 4at any time during operation to accomplish or maintain the equilibrium under unbalanced loads.

With the above and other objects in view, some y,

of which'will beapparent to those skilled in the art and othersof which are inherentin the construction and use of the apparatus, my invention includes certain novel features of construction yand combinations and arrangements of parts which will be hereiafter set forth in connection with the drawings, and then pointed out in the claims. v

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing gravity ofthe empty container or basket, as `well as its axisof gyration willcoincide with the center or axis of the driving member, as will alsov the dimensional axis and center of the basket.

' However, when the basket is unevenly'loaded,as`

is ordinarily the A case lwith 1aundry machines, the center of gravity of the basket plus the loadwill not coincidewith the dimensional center of the basket, but owing tothe fact that ordinarily the basket is supported by universal joints or other ,rnountingsV permitting rockingmovement, the

gravityforce will cause it to swing on this support until the new center of gravity coincides with the axis of rotation and alsowith the axis of the shaft. This will` permit the loaded'basket to rotate'around its new center of gravity; however, the'V basket cannoty rotate around its new axisV of gyration without ,imparting a planetary or orbital movement to the drive shaft or driving ,memben position where the axis of 'gyration will coincide.

with the shaft axis, and ythere will then be no force acting to disturb the position of the-shaft or driving member. f

The purpose of my invention is to provide ja mounting for the basket so thatcentrifugal force acting on the basket and load willbring-them into In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 through 4, the shaft or rotatable member I is mounted in upright relation by any suitable `bearing or supporting structure, and can. be` rotated in any,I

desired or approved manner. This rotatable member can be supported or mounted to have limited side .Sway or planetary movement, if desired, and in fact the mounting can beV of any type and character such as may be well known; but, it has been found that with my improved structure the forces acting to move thelshaftin a planetary or orbital path are, substantially reduced or eliminated, and in effect the shaft or rotatable member will rotate on a more or less fixed or stationary upright axis.

The shaft I has a bearing and supporting housing 2 therearound, and if desired one or more shaft bearings 3 can be provided in this housing to holdthe shaft I to a substantially fixedl axis of rotation. At the outer end of .the bearing and supporting housing 2.a supporting head 4 is provided, and this supportinghead 4 carries a bearing structure 5. 'Ijhe bearingstructure at 5- is of the self-aligning ball bearing type, or of any other suitable type and character that will permit or allow universal movement. A mounting headv 6 is supported andcarried by a partof the bearingi- 5 .to thus; have universal movement With respect tothe end of the shaft I, and through a pin or key "I, movably received ina slot or other recess in the mounting head 6, this mounting head.

6 is connected to` be` rotated by and with the shaft I-, while at the same time?. being permitted universal rocking movement.

iAcontainex-or basketsupport 8l is connected to they mounting head 6, as by means of bolts 9 or other suitable fastenings, and is thus swingably mounteddepending around the rotatable member I and is universally swingable withrespect thereto. The container support 8` is here shown as being of substantially tubularand; taperedconstruction and shape with the larger end downwardly whereby as this support swings universally it will clear the shaft I` and the housing 2; however, since only limited swinging movement is ordinarily permitted when the apparatus is in use, it may be appreciated that the support 8 can be of substantially cylindrical form, and Where a Wider swing is to` be permitted the cylindrical diameter or the flare of this member can be increased to such size as may be desirable or` necessary.

Thecontainer supporting member 8 has the container or basket Ill carried by the swinging end portion thereof and mounted for substantially universal movement inV its association with the support 8. In the present instance I have shown the container support 8 as having gimbal bearings or pintles II disposed at diametrically opposite points and received in bearings in a girnbal or pintlering I2. The containeror basket I8 is here shown as provided with a bottom portion I3 having a reentrant mounting sleeve I 4 provided with pintle bearings or gimbals I5 pivoted in the gimbal or pintle ring I2 on an axis substantially at right angles to the axis of the pintles I I. With this construction and mounting, the container or basket I is carried by the swinging end of the container support 8 and is substantially universally swingable with respect to said support. In the present instance I have shown the container or basket I Il provided with a plurality of openings I6, which container basket is suitable for containing and carrying clothes or other articles or material to be subjected to centrifugal extracting forces through spinning of the basket IIJ.

Normally, as shaft I is rotated, and also in positions of rest of the parts, the supporting structure willdepend from the swinging universal mounting and the support 8 and the container ID will be substantiallycentered around the axis of rotation of theshaft I, Vas, illustrated in Fig. 2, and in the fullA lines of Figure 1. When clothes or other material tobe operated upon are placed in the container or basket the parts will remain in the centered` relation as long as the weight of material is evenly distributed around at all points within the container or basket; but, as in the case of Wet clothing it is often substantially impossible to load the basket or container in such a way that the weight is equally distributed on all sides, and in consequence the distribution of the load will be such as to unbalance the` container or basket, perhaps somewhat after the manner illustrated by ,the dotted lines in Fig. k1. With ordinary structures, heretofore used, it has been impossible for the container or basket to shift in the manner illustrated, and in consequence as the container or basket thus ordinarily mounted is rapidly rotated or spun through the rotation of shaft I, the unbalanced load in the basket will exert unbalanced4 pressures andv the operating shaft will receive stresses and strains causing the same to describe or take a planetary or orbital movement, in addition to rotation about its axis. With. my improved structure, the container or basket supporting structureis free to shift or swing around the mounting at 5 substantially universally, and the container or basket iJ- can also shift around its universal mounting on a depending portion of the container support 8, this doubleuniversal mounting permitting the force of gravity, as unequally distributed by the load, to

move the basket to a point where the center of gravity coincides with the shaft axis in consequence of which the axis of gyration will coincide with the axis of rotation of the shaft.

In use, it has been found that under some conditions the structure as thus described will be unbalanced'in such a manner or to such a degree that the supporting member 8 will have movement other than the rotational movement around the aids of the shaft or rotatable member I, in consequence of which vibrating or shaking forces are encountered, and to counteract such effects and forces I provide a fly wheel or spinning wheell or disk I1 preferably substantially around the swinging center of mounting of the container support 8. This fly wheel or spinning wheel I1 is preferably provided with a heavy rim so that it will act substantially gyroscopically when the shaft or rotatable member I is rotated, in consequence of which thisily wheel I'I; spinning or rotated rapidlyabout its axis serves as a stabilizing mass, offeringv great Vresistance vto fany eifort tochange the direction of the axis orto move the flywheel from itsipla'ne Vofnrotation. Thus, the iiy wheel I1. serves as meansifacting .substantially gyroscopically'to'4 resist any force exerted by the Container support 8 tending to swing or tip this member with respect to the axis of rotation of the shaft l in such manner that planetary or orbital movement or travelwill be set up.' Since the rotating mass of material at l1 acts to prevent the basket load from going into an orbital swinging movement, the tendency Vto vibrate and exerting of disturbing forces is resisted and is controlled.l

In the modified embodiment illustrated in Fig. 5, the shaft I8 has a universal joint structure le, here shown as being of the gimbal or pintle ring type, carriedat its upper end, and container supporting arms 25 and 2| are swingably mounted depending around and substantially universally swingable with respect to the shaft, and yet are held and carried to be rotated with this shaft. A container or basket 22, here shown as provided with alreticulated side wall 23 butwhich can be of any desired form and construction, has a bottom 2A provided with a re-entrant middle supporting sleeve structure 25. This bottom portion 24 is made as a relatively heavy member or structure, vof metal or'other suitable material that. will give weightand mass,r and the supporting sleeve portion 25 is associated with the swinging end `of the container supporting links 2e and 2i through a gimbal or pintle ring structure 26, or through any other universal connection that will permit swinging and adjustment of the container or basket 22 with respect to the container supporting portions 20 and 2 l.

With this construction, arrangement and mounting ofthe parts, the supporting structure 2U and 2! depends downwardly around and has universal swinging connection and movement at its mounting on the upper end ofV shaft I8,`and

the basket or container .22-has universally movthe tendency toward planetary movement of the upper end of the shaft is dampened or restricted to a point where it is substantially neligible or is eliminated.

Fig. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the invention, and here the shaft or rotatable member 2l is mounted in upright relation to rotate on an upright axis. This shaft 27 has` a bearing ball Z8 carriedon its upper end in fixed relation, In the present instance the ball is shown as pro-v vided with a polygonal socket to receive the cor'- It respo-ndingly shaped endv 29 ofthe shaft 21. This shaft 2l is extended to have its upper end and consequently the ball 2S somewhat above the top line of the containeror basket Si) the construction of which container cir basket may be as set forth above orof any other desiredtype.

An elongated container support 3l, here illustrated as being a tubular sleeve of substantially 'truncated cone form has its peak end closedand rounded to provide alball. socket 32 shapedto fit 1 support 3|.

and turn or swing upon the bearing ballv 28,"and

in this mounting the elongated container support 3I` i's'permitted to have universal 'swinging movement substantially as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 6. At its lower endthis container support has a substantially semispherical fiange 33 flared to provide a ball formation normally centered around shaft. 21 and shifting its center with the tilting or swinging movement of The basket 30 has the bottom Se thereof provided with a supporting sleeve'portion 35 in its middle of substantially truncated cone form to draw in around the ball formation 33 of the support 3|, `a socket 36 being'provided in the middle portion 35.so Ithat the container or basket is given universally swingable mounting and port on the ball portion 33. 1

"Obviously, a ily wheel or spinning wheel or other massed Weight, similar to fly wheel I1 ,'can be `employed kwith the modified constructions shown in Figs. 5 and 6.. i

From the foregoing itwillv be seen` that I have provided a centrifugal separator. or extractor or apparatus capable of use with manyvand various types ofcontainers orsupports or baskets, and

for reception and treatment Aor operation upon various types and characters of materials, which is of the spinner type' and is of such construction that a substantially'stable equilibrium Awill be attained and maintainedunder unbalanced as well as balanced loads, thus accomplishing smooth andeicient operation of the apparatus vand making' possible employment of relatively simple and inexpensive mounting and supporting parts and'use of the machine in manylocations and connections where it might not be employed except for the fact that the operation is sub- 4stantially stabilized and vibration is controlled.

Whiie I have herein shown and described only certainspecic embodiments of this 'invention and have set forth and suggested only certain possible modifications, it is to be understood Vand will be apparent that many changes and variations in the form, construction, arrangement, assembly and mounting yand association `of the partsY can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

`I claim:

1. A centrifugal apparatus comprising almember rotatable on an upright axis, a'swingable co-ntainer support rotatable with said member depending around and universally swingable with respect thereto, and a container carried by and vuniversally swingable with respect to said sup- 2. An extractor comprising a member rotatable on an upright axis, a flared swingable basket support rotatable with said memberdepending vand freely universally swingable at its lower end with respect to said rotatable member, and a basket associated with the basket support and universally swingable with respect to said support.

3. In a centrifugal extractor, a flared container support, an upstanding shaft, means for mounting said container support revolubly at its upper central portion and permitting free and unrestrained tilting of said support around the shaft, and a container carried by said support and tiltably movable with respect thereto.

4. In a centrifugal extractor, a container, a driving member, a swingable intermediate member, a universal connection between said driving member and'intermediate member disposing the intermediate lmember to' swingably. depend around the driving membeig'fand a universal Supconnection between said intermediate member and said container.

5. In a centrifugal extractor, an upright shaft, a container support connected in its upper central portionat the upper end of said shaft to permit universal tilting of saidfsupport, a container carried by said support and bodily tiltable universally with respect thereto, and centrifugally influenced means associated withsaid container to maintain equilibrium of the same under unbalanced loads whenthe container is rotated.

6. In a centrifugal extractor, a driving member rotatable on ar substantially verticall axis in upstanding relation, an intermediate supporting member, a universal connection between said driving member and said intermediate supporting member by which the supporting member is mounted in suspended depending swingable relation around the driving member, a container,

and a universal connection between said intermediate member and said container by which the container is also mounted in suspended relation.

7. A centrifugal extractor comprising, an upright rotatable shaft, an elongated `container' support mounted on said shaft at its upper central'portion to embrace the shaft and be capable of bodily tilting movement with respect to the shaft, said containersupport being provided with a universal joint on itslower portion, and-a container having a reentrant portion provided for attachment with said universal joint.

8. A centrifugal extractor comprising, a driving shaft rotatable on a vertical axis, an elongated container support widened at its lower end,

a universal joint connecting said container support at its upper central portion to depend around the shaft, a container having a bottom with a reentrant central portion, and a universal joint connecting the upper central portion of said container bottom with the lower portion of said container support.

9. A centrifugal extractor comprising a container support flared and widened toward its lower end, means to rotatably mount said container support at its upper central portion and 1.

termediate supporting member having universal connection to depend around the upper end of the drivingmember and having universal connection substantially centrally with the weighted bottomvportion ofthe container to support said container, in suspended relation.

11. A centrifugal extractor comprising a membery rotatable on an upright axis, a basket support rotatable with said member and swingably mounted at its upper end to depend around and be universally swingable with respect to said member, a basket carried by the swingable basket support,Y and means substantially gyroscopically resisting swinging of the basket support during rotation.

l2. A centrifugal extractor comprising a member rotatable on an upright axis, a basket support rotatable with said member and connectedat its upper end to be freely and unrestrainably universally swingable with respect to said member, a basket, carried by the swingable basket support,

and means substantially gyroscopically resisting swinging of the basket. supportl during rotation.

13. A centrifugal apparatusl comprising a member rotatable on an upright axis, a container, a swingable container'support rotatable with said member depending around and universally swingable with respect thereto and having the container carried by and universally swingable upon its lower portion, and rotatable weight means resisting swinging movement of the container support.

14. A centrifugal apparatus comprising a member rotatable on an upright axis, a swingable container support rotatable with said member depending around and. universally swingable with respectthereto, a container carried by the` depending swingable-portion of said container support, a universal connection between said container and container support, and'means substantially gyroscopically resistingswinging of the container supportzduring rotation.

15. A centrifugal separator comprising a member rotatable on` an upright axis, a swingable container support rotatable with said member depending around and universally swingable with respect thereto, a container carried by the depending swingable portion of said container support and mounted for universal adjusting movement with respect to the support, and rotatable weight means associated with said container support adjacent tothe swinging mounting thereof and rotating-with said support to resist swinging of said support during rotation.

16. A centrifugal separator comprising an upst'anding driving member rotatable on an upright axis, a swingable container support connected to rotate with and swingably depending for free and unrestrained swinging movementV with respect to the driving member, a container carried by the depending swingable portion of said container support, and a fly wheel rotatable with said container support substantially around the swinging end thereof resisting swinging of the container support during rotation.

17. A centrifugal separator comprising an upstanding driving member rotatable on an upright axis, a swingable container support rotatable with said member and swingably mounted in its upper portion depending around and universally swingable with respect to the driving member, a container carried by the depending swingable portion of said container support mounted thereon for universal swinging movement, and weight means distributed around the container support in the region of the swinging mounting thereof rotatable with said support and resisting swing ing of the container support during rotation.

18. A centrifugal extractor comprising, with an uprightv rotatable shaft, an elongated container support of substantially truncated cone shape mounted for rocking movement at the upper end of said shaft, said container support being provided with parts of a universal connection at its lower end, a container having a reticulated side wall, and a bottom for said container having the middle portion thereof of substantially truncated cone reentrant form and provided with intertting portions of a universal connection in the upper central portion to t movably with the parts of the container support.

19. In a centrifugal extractor, with anV upright rotatable shaft, a bearing ball carried at the upper end of said shaft, an'elongated container support in the form of a substantially truncated conical sleeve provided'with a bearing recess to fit said bearing ball with the ared 4sleeve-like form depending around and tiltablewith respect` to t movably upon the semi-spherical flange of the container support.

20. In a centrifugal extractor, a container support, an upstanding shaft, means for mounting said container support swingably at its upper central portion to depend and rotate and to have swinging movement restrained only by gravity pull with respect to said shaft, a container carried by said support and movable with respect thereto, and means rotating with said support `gyroscopically resisting swinging of said support container support: rotatable with said member and universally swingable with respect thereto, a

container carried by the swingable portion of said container support and mounted for universal -adjusting movement with respect to the support, and rotatable weight means associated with said container support adjacent to the swinging mounting thereof and rotating with said support to resist swinging of said support during rotation. t

23. A centrifugal separator comprising an upstanding driving member rotatable on an upright axis, a swingable container support rotatable with said member and swingably mounted in its upper portion with respect to the driving member, a container carried by the swingable portion of said container support mounted thereon for universal swinging movement, and weight means distributed around the container support in the region of the swinging mounting thereof rotatable with said support and resisting swinging of the container support during rotation. t

24. A centrifugal extractor comprising a member rotatable on an upright axis, a swingable basket support rotatable with said member de# pending and freely universally swingable at its lower end with respect to said rotatable member, a basket carried at the lower end of said swingable basket support and universally swingableV with respect to said support, and a ily wheel carried by said basket support around its upper swingable end.

ALLEN J. PATCH. 

